I remember the game Sorry! When rain spoiled our middle school P.E. class from passing time on the outdoor track, ostensibly exercising, my friends and I would crowd around the board. Arms outstretched, blocking the others from interference, we would gleefully bat the other’s piece skittering back to Start. The closer those pieces were to … Continue reading I was almost Home
It's rooted in my core, just below my heart. The thickened, tingling tentacles are threatening to burst, demanding to be felt and seen. First came the message from my 이모 (emo, birth mother's younger sister) then the email from my new lawyer. Tuesday's the day, the day that district officials decide if my name gets … Continue reading What will it cost me?
"Why did you change your name? And why those names?" The words drop over our dinner table full of 떡볶이 (tteokbokki, spicy stir-fried rice cakes) and 김밥 (kimbap, Korean rice rolls), homemade Korean street food. We all still just for a moment…waiting. I take a breath. My name given at birth is no longer the … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Rediscovering My Seoul 